Here In Da Now
by The Plaid Hatter
Summary: After Steve left to join the army as if I actually buy the college story, young Joe was left to fight for his show, his home, and his freedom.


**Chapter One**

**DISCLAIMER:**** Let's just be lazy and say that I own nothing in this story. All copyrighted things belong to their companies, and anything else (like the words "the," "is," and maybe even "that") could probably belong to Webster's Dictionary. Screw Encyclopedia Britannica. YOU GUYS SUCK!!!!**

**A/N:**** This is the sequel to "Back In Da Days." I didn't mention that in the summary because I thought it would scare people off or something. You don't have to read it though. I wrote this story so that I would make sense with or without my precious "Back In Da Days."**

Together, three cloaked figures walked through the dark corridors of the mysterious edifice that held a prize many had tried to uncover, but all had failed. The first figure, a tall boy with youthful ambitions but a strong heart, stood in front while his much shorter (and I mean MUCH shorter) allies followed behind.

Together as one, the three companions walked the perilous halls, knowing that they held countless dangers, without any visible qualms. As long as they were together, nothing could pose as a threat. Their enemies may have power and strength beyond one's wildest dreams, but our friends had something more. They had _love_. In all of the Disney movies they had watched, love was the most powerful weapon. It made carpets fly, blue aliens come back to life, lions live in peace, and a mutt and a purebred dog live happily together. With love, nothing could stop them…_or so they thought_.

The paces of the three companions become shorter and softer as they came closer to a large door at the end of a very long hallway. They walked on their tiptoes as if they were ready to spring into action (i.e. running away) at the first sign of danger.

When they finally reached the door, the tall, young boy looked back at his friends. He said nothing, but his eyes told all. He wanted them to wait outside in case something was to happen. Like any good group of friends, they wouldn't hear of it. They got into it together, they would get out of it together.

The boy took a deep breath, and reached for a handle. He did not remember turning the knob, but watching the door open was something he was sure he would never forget. A bright light came from the small crack in the door. After nothing but moon rays to light their way, the light came as a surprise to the three.

By the time the door opened completely, the three had their eyes squinted and their arms blocking as much light as they could manage. It took the young one only a second to realize that the temporary blindness had made him and his friends vulnerable.

"Who is there?" he managed ask in his best impersonation of The Rock.

A man somewhere in the room chuckled casually. "You know who I am, my name is written on the door to my office. My question is, who are you?"

The young one wanted to look to his friends for help, but his blindness had not yet faded. Instead, he decided to rough it. He pulled back the hood of his cloak, hoping his stone cold face would surely intimidate the man in the room. The boy had shaggy brown hair with thick eyebrows that almost connected (but didn't thanks to the make-up department). Most importantly, the boy's stone-cold face looked more like a you-bet-I'm-thinking-about-that-commercial-about-the-puppy-and-the-parrot face.

The man in the room rubbed his temple and muttered, "Oh hell, not this again," under his breath.

"My name is Joseph--" the boy began, but the man cut in and continued in a bland (and slightly annoyed) tone.

"Joseph Burns, little brother of Steven Burns, singer of songs, and son of that hobo that lives under the bridge and tells everyone that chickens once had tentacles."

"_Will_ have tentacles," Joe corrected. "See, after watching the second _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movie, he thinks that the chickens will work with Davey Jones, and--"

"The point is," the man cut in again, "I know who you are and why you are here. The question is why are you here _now_?"

With the blindness all but a memory, Joe was able to see every detail of his shoes as he looked shyly at the ground.

"You're secretary told me to come," he said in a mumble.

"And what time did she say to come?"

Joe stayed silent.

"What time, Joseph?"

"Ten O'clock," Joe said, his lip quivering.

"Yes, Ten O'clock _a.m._ Do you get that? A.m!!!! A!!! M!!!"

"Yeah, I get it." Joe muttered in shame.

"Then why did you come at ten _p.m._?" The man looked at his watch, and shook his head. "You're not even on time! It's 10:45!!"

Joe dug his toe in the ground. "There were guards…"

The man massaged his temples as he poured himself a cup of vodka.

"Imagine that," he said in a calmer voice, "_guards_ at _night_. What's next? _Teachers_ working during the _day_? What _is_ the world coming to?"

The man went to pour himself another cup, but decided that the bottle worked just fine. After a long, refreshing swig, he looked up at Joe and his…er…_attire_.

"What are you _wearing_ !?" he asked, wondering all the while if he wanted to know the answer.

Joe looked up from his toes for a second and shifted his gaze from the man's cold gaze to a painting of his cold gaze on the wall.

"I…uh…Shovel, Magenta, and I were playing D and D during playtime, and I guess we forgot to change."

The man let out a long groan, then took another swig from his bottle. Try as he might, he could not find a snappy comment that would make those people feel more idiotic than they already were.

"Fine, fine," the man said. "Let's get this over with. You came for a budget increase in the show, right?"

Joe, Magenta, and Shovel nodded. The man nodded too, but only because he was drunk and drunk people do things that don't ever make sense, no matter how long you think about it.

From a drawer, the man pulled out a checkbook and a pen. He quickly filled out the check, and ripped it out. Joe walked forward to take the check from his beneficiary. He inspected it with interest.

"T-t-tooooooooo Blooooooooz Mloooooooooooooooz," Joe sounded out each letter just as his teacher had taught him.

"That's Blue's _Cl_ue's, you frigin moron," the man said, slurring a bit towards the end.

Joe giggled. "Sorry. Sometimes I get my C's mixed up with my M's. See ya."

With that, Joe and his cavalcade of annoyance left.

The man buried his head in his hands, and began to weep. "How do they keep finding me!?"

From somewhere deep in the hallway, the man heard what he wished were Joseph Burn's last words.

"Sweet!" he exclaimed. "They gave us five bucks! That's six and a half more dollars than last time!"

Okay, weak first chap. Get over it, okay!!! I happen to have a kitten scratching the life out of me when she doesn't get my complete attention. Seriously, Milkshakes is nothing but trouble. I suggest you stay away from her! She'll mess with your mind, man! Mess with it!!!!!

**Okay, enough of me ranting about my kitten. I don't have Internet at home, so to update I'll have to get a ride to the library and fight off those little punks who play Runscape all day. Wish me luck.**

**p.s. REVIEW daggit!!!!**


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